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This Candied Bacon Brittle is fully loaded with toasted nuts and candied bacon. I really want you to experience this unusualbut CRAZY GOODtreat! This recipe is proof that bacon really can make everything better ;).
Tabasco sponsored this holiday dessert and their original red pepper sauce takes this bacon over the top. It really amplifies the flavor of bacon and balances the sweetness of the glaze. The spiciness is very subtle and lingers in your mouth.
My sister Anna gave me the idea for this recipe – I was thinking about “just” making candied bacon until she threw down the brittle + bacon idea. It’s seriously amazing! Thanks Anna!!!
This makes for a wonderful homemade gift because it lasts up to 3 days at room temperature. I sent 2 batches to my sons’ school for the teachers to enjoy and apparently it was the talk of the entire school, which definitely made my day :).
Watch How to Make Candied Bacon Brittle:
Tips for perfect candied bacon:
- *Only usethick-cut bacon. Regular thinner-cut bacon will crisp much faster in the oven and will burnfollowing these baking times. I’ve tested this theory ;).
- Pre-baking the bacon is a vital step. Bacon does not absorb the syrup so it doesn’t need to marinate in it and if you brush it on at the beginning, the sugar will get smoky in the oven which is no fun (I’ve tested this theory as well). I found the best balance to be 20 minutes in the oven before applying the glaze.
- A thicker cut bacon may require even more pre-baking unless it has more meat than fat (my 1 lb of bacon had 12 strips).
I’ve done countless tests of candied bacon and this is the only method I’ve found that actually candies the bacon without making your whole house smoky from brown sugar. I’m amazed at how many recipes out there don’t warn people about that! Follow these instructions (using thick-cut bacon) and you will have beautiful candied baconwithout having to air out your house! 🙂
I think she takes after me! 🙂 My toddler loved the candied bacon!!
You will need a candy thermometer for this recipe. They range $7-$15 or so onAmazon (affiliate).
Holiday Candied Bacon Brittle
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
This Candied bacon brittle is fully loaded with toasted nuts and candied bacon. I really want you to experience this strange but CRAZY GOOD treat!
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Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 45 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr
Ingredients
Candied Bacon Ingredients:
- 1 lb 11-12 strips THICK CUT bacon*
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp real maple syrup
- 2 tsp Tabasco Original Pepper Sauce
Nut Brittle Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted pecans, ** toasted and coarsely chopped
- 1 cup unsalted cashews, ** toasted and coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
How to Make Candied Bacon:
In a small bowl stir together: 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 Tbsp maple syrup and 2 tsp Tabasco, and set aside.
Cover a rimmed backing sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside. Separate bacon strips and place them evenly over the rack/baking sheet. Bake at 400˚F for 20 minutes. Flip bacon over and brush top with 1/2 of syrup then bake 5 minutes, flip bacon over, brush top with remaining syrup and bake 5-7 minutes or until browned. Don't bake much beyond this because the sugar coating can start to get smoky.
Remove from oven, use tongs to shift them around slightly on the rack to prevent sticking and let cool on the rack until room temperature then pat dry both sides lightly with paper towels to remove excess oil then chop into 1/2” pieces.
PREP EVERYTHING Before Starting Candy:
You have to move fast when making candy because it hardens quickly, so have ingredients and tools ready to go: Line baking sheet with parchment and have 2 forks ready to pull brittle apart. Have a candy thermometer ready.
Before starting candy, toast nuts then coarsely chop. Once nuts and bacon are cooled to room temp, toss them together in a bowl.
How to Make Nut Brittle:
In a medium heavy saucepan, combine: 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup corn syrup and 8 Tbsp butter. Bring to a boil, and adjust temperature to keep a medium boil. Cook, stirring occasionally 10-12 minutes, stirring more frequently towards the end (time will vary based on the size of pan, so cook until brittle is a light beige and reaches 290˚F on a candy thermometer.
Once at 290˚F, turn off heat, remove candy thermometer and very quickly stir in 1 tsp baking soda. It will puff up. Baking soda makes brittle lighter and crunchier.
Quickly (fast as lightning!!) stir in nuts and candied bacon then immediately transfer to parchment lined baking sheet and work fast to spread brittle out with 2 forks then smooth out with a spatula. Cool until firm then break into pieces and serve or package up your bacon brittle as gifts!
- Full Nutrition Label
- Nutrition Disclosure
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Candied Bacon Brittle
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Because it’s hard to put into words just how good this tastes, you really have to put it into your mouth to see for yourself! I hope you’re as crazy about this as we are :). Big thank you to Tabasco for sponsoring this fantastic recipe.
Q: What is your favorite homemade treat to make at Christmas time?
Natasha Kravchuk
Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.
Read more posts by Natasha
FAQs
Yet, the alluring crunch and flavor of candied bacon are ephemeral without proper care. The secret to prolonging the life of these golden, sugary strips lies in proper storage. The best practice for storing candied bacon is to keep it in the refrigerator.
Do you need to refrigerate candied bacon? ›
Yet, the alluring crunch and flavor of candied bacon are ephemeral without proper care. The secret to prolonging the life of these golden, sugary strips lies in proper storage. The best practice for storing candied bacon is to keep it in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze candied bacon? ›
When four days just won't cut it, freezing your candied bacon is an effective way to extend its shelf life to three months or longer. Immediately after cooling, wrap portions in plastic wrap and then in foil, ensuring a tight seal.
What is candied bacon made of? ›
What is Candied Bacon. Also known as Pig Candy, Candied Bacon is made by coating thick sliced of bacon in something sweet such as brown sugar, maple syrup, or caramel before baking until caramelized. It's fantastic crumbled on a salad or just served alongside a pint of your favorite beer.
Can you reheat candied bacon? ›
Reheating Candied Bacon
When ready to eat, reheat individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds until warm or crisp, or briefly in the oven at 350°F (175°C) on a baking sheet. This is like candy – we love it! I use a thick sliced pepper bacon and it is so good!
How long does bacon last in a Ziploc in the fridge? ›
Uncooked bacon
Unopened bacon may last roughly two weeks in the fridge and eight months in the freezer. Once the package has been opened, as long as it is well stored in a sealed container, uncooked bacon is good for a week. Sealed in an airtight plastic bag in the freezer, the bacon could last for about a month.
Does bacon taste good after freezing? ›
Bacon from an open package should be frozen as soon as possible to a temperature of 0° F or lower. An unopened package of bacon can be frozen for a month, or up to four months at the outside. 1 The flavor and quality will begin to deteriorate the longer it is in the freezer.
Can you freeze bacon in aluminum foil? ›
Using either freezer-safe bags or aluminum foil, seal the bacon into "family-portions" (enough cooked slices your family's breakfast; I decided to limit my people to 1-2 slices per person), removing as much air as possible.
How to soften brown sugar? ›
To quickly soften brown sugar: place the sugar in a microwave safe bowl and cover it with a damp paper towel for about 20 second, or use a food processor to loosen the brown sugar. If you aren't pressed for time, use a slice of bread or an apple in an airtight container with the brown sugar for 24 hours.
What ingredient to avoid in bacon? ›
The health risk of bacon is largely to do with two food additives: potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre) and sodium nitrite. It is these that give salamis, bacons and cooked hams their alluring pink colour.
Candied bacon is made in-house using Applewood-smoked bacon. It's then coated with caramelized brown sugar and finished with a hint of black pepper. We used a similar combination of flavors in our Candied Bacon Crackers.
What is bacon called before it is sliced? ›
An unsliced section of cured pork belly is known as slab bacon. Slab bacon is typically sold with the rind still on, which you can remove yourself before cooking.
Does candied bacon go bad? ›
Storing candied bacon properly will help to stave off spoilage, but not forever. It is important to be able to check your bacon and identify signs that it has gone bad in order to keep yourself from ingesting harmful pathogens. First, inspect the bacon visually to see if the texture or color has changed significantly.
Can you eat cooked bacon cold the next day? ›
Fully cooked, cold bacon is fine. Just as long as it hasn't been sitting out for an extended period.
How to spruce up bacon? ›
Even though it doesn't necessarily come with a mild flavor, bacon is a total blank canvas. With the help of some extra ingredients and spices for your bacon, you can take its original savory, salty, and smoky flavor and enhance it with things like chili powder and coffee, Sriracha, maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey.
Is candied bacon perishable? ›
Much like traditional bacon, it is best to store candied bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator. While regular cooked bacon lasts only four to five days when stored in the fridge, candied bacon will last a little bit longer — up to three weeks.
Does crispy bacon need to be refrigerated? ›
To help keep it fresh for the next few days, rely on the refrigerator. When stored at or below the ideal temperature of 40ºF, the growth of harmful bacteria is slowed. This helps prevent your bacon from going bad.
How long can bacon be left unrefrigerated? ›
The general rule of food safety is to not let raw meat or cooked food sit out for more than 2 hours, and that rule applies to uncooked or cooked bacon. It's wise to be careful with uncooked pork products since they can harbor and grow bacterial pathogens like salmonella and trichinosis.
Does bacon jam need to be refrigerated? ›
For safety, we strongly recommend that bacon jam be refrigerated for times suggested by the recipe (2-4 weeks) or that it be frozen for longer storage.
